The Loop
This Egyptian man’s celebration shows how much qualifying for the World Cup really means
Here in America, where we don’t care that much about soccer while simultaneously making every World Cup since 1990, it’s easy to forget—or flat-out not realize—how much qualification for the single greatest international sporting event in existence (rampant corruption and architectural oddities notwithstanding) actually means. In case you need a reminder, however, just watch this Egyptian man issue one of the most genuinely moving sports celebrations we’ve ever seen after watching his country qualify for their first World Cup in nearly 30 years on Sunday:
Not just a testament to the power of the World Cup, but the power of the World Cup for certain nations—impoverished nations, war-torn nations, nations for whom qualification is the exception not the rule—this man exudes something you won’t find in Brazil or Germany or Spain: True thankfulness. For Egypt, global soccer success is not an expectation. For Egypt, the ticker-tape parades aren’t planned in advance. For Egypt, this is a once-in-a-generation triumph, and the next time some Yankees, Patriots, or Lakers fan asks you why you root for a perennial doormat year after soul-sucking year, just show them this video and say:
Because I’m waiting for that.